Zeke Thurston has been having the rookie season most young cowboys could only dream about.
The saddle bronc sensation from Big Valley made waves by winning the $50,000 bonus round at Houston last spring. Then he came to the Calgary Stampede and showed his stuff, spurring away with the $100,000 bonus from that big show. He qualified for his first Canadian Finals Rodeo, as well as finishing in the world’s top 15 to earn a coveted spot at the rich National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
It looked like nothing could slow down his fast track to success.
But then Thurston nodded his head for his first horse last month at Edmonton… and was quickly bucked off. Regrouping, he came back the second night… and was bucked off again. Nothing seemed to go right all week long. The 21-year-old slipped back in the standings, and came away with a goose egg from the big CFR prize pot. Had the dream year really derailed?
Perhaps it was just a steep grade to climb. As Thurston rides the rails into the desert depot this week, he’s feeling a lot better about the home stretch.
“I didn’t feel good in my riding, and it was a terrible week,” admitted Thurston. “So I checked my equipment the next day, and found out my saddle was broke.”
The specialized riding rig is everything in the saddle bronc event, and a malfunction at that junction can be costly.
“It just felt like my saddle was flat, and (pointing) downhill. I couldn’t get my horses spurred out right. That’s your best advantage to a good ride – your one free shot. If you can’t get spurred out right, it’s pretty hard.”
Fortunately, he had access to a back-up saddle from fellow bronc rider Jake Watson. He quickly got it fit to his settings, and tried it out on a few practice horses before packing it in the truck and pointing south.
Saddles go through a lot, and the ‘tree’ can be smashed when a horse rares back in the chute. But Thurston doesn’t recall any one incident that may have caused the problem.
“It was more of a stretch crack, that got worse over time, with too much wear and tear. The saddle had some age. I think Dad got it for me at a pawn shop for like, $700. So it’s paid for itself a few times,” smiled Thurston.
So his Edmonton frustration has turned more to relief, with a problem discovered and remedied.
“I expect to do good every time I nod my head. I just go at it and let it all hang out. It doesn’t always work out. But when you’re trying hard and nothing goes your way, it can just seem like everything is working against you. But you keep rolling on. The good thing is I’m young, and there’s lot more broncs to get on.”
Make that the world’s BEST broncs to get on, and 10 of them are lined up starting tonight for Thurston to try his hand at. Getting to ride at the world richest rodeo event is something he’s wanted to do his whole life.
“I’m so excited. It’s crazy,” Thurston admitted. “The last couple of weeks, I could hardly sleep. My mind doesn’t turn off. We drove down, and when we came over the hill and saw the lights (of Vegas), it was pretty cool.”
There’s a record $10 million there for the taking at this year’s Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, which is a big leap from the $6.375 million offered just a year ago. The bump is the result of the new contract signed with Las Vegas Events. To win first prize in any one go-round will pay a whopping $26,231. So any missed financial opportunities from the CFR could be quickly erased by Thurston, with a few good rides.
He’s also one of two PRCA rookies at this year’s NFR, and that’s the other race he’s in. Both Thurston and Utah bronc rider CoBurn Bradshaw are in the hunt for the Resistol Saddle Bronc Rookie of the Year award, and the title will be hotly contested. Thurston has the lead going in, and a score to settle. Bradshaw beat him by half a point for the 2014 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association saddle bronc championship, so it’s not the first time the two have tangled.
Thurston will have plenty of family and friends in Las Vegas to cheer him on, not to mention all of Big Valley back home. He appreciates the support, but knows he’ll have to balance all the demands of NFR week.
“There’s all sorts of stuff going on. You’d like to spend time with everyone down here, but I have to take care of business too. That’s my main priority.”
Probably the wisest advice comes from dad, because Skeeter Thurston definitely knows the drill. He qualified for the NFR in saddle bronc riding six times over his career.
“He says ‘you worked hard to get here. Enjoy it’,” said Thurston.
There will be plenty of Canadian flags flying at the Thomas and Mack arena this year, with six Canadian qualifiers. That’s the most since 2008. Thurston will be joined by his riding buddy, and fellow Stampede winner, Clint Laye of Cadogan in the bareback riding.
Also in the bareback riding is Orin Larsen, with his brother Tyrel competing in the saddle bronc riding. They come from Inglis, Man. Then making his NFR debut in the steer wrestling is Cochrane’s Tanner Milan, the two-time Canadian champion. Rounding out the Canuck contingent is Deb Guelly of Okotoks, making her sixth trip to the NFR.
The first of the 10 NFR performances kicks off tonight at 7:45 p.m. MST. It’s available for viewing through the website www.worldplaylive.com/NFR2015 which is a firm involving two-time world champion barrel racer Lindsay Sears.
In other pro rodeo news, a familiar face in Central Alberta has been hired as the new rodeo administrator for the CPRA. Kyle Rock, from the Olds district, was active in rodeo as a bareback rider. He was the FCA season leader twice, served on the FCA board, and worked as a rodeo judge as well as being named cowboy of the year in 2013.
Also, the CPRA and Canadian Western Agribition announced professional rodeo will return to Regina’s major livestock event next November. The four performance rodeo will feature 16 top athletes in each event, divided into two pools of eight for two performances each, vying for a $100,000 purse. It will be the kickoff event for the 2017 pro season.